Mo lands first Group success with Pray For Mir in Lion Rock Trophy
Following the 47-year-old's record of 20 wins in his first campaign in 2023/24, Mo - who boasts a 68-horse stable of fresh talent and seasoned gallopers - has excelled in 2024/25 with 38 successes.
"This is one of my targets for the season. Now, a dream has come true. I'm so happy - thanks to all my staff and the owners for their support," said Mo.
Mo, who previously worked with legendary jockey-turned-trainer Tony Cruz, started his journey with the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1994 as a work rider.
He gained experience with David Ferraris and Benno Yung and, while with Cruz, he campaigned champion gallopers Silent Witness and Bullish Luck successfully abroad.
One of three four-year-olds in the Lion Rock Trophy, Pray For Mir (Matthew Chadwick) quickly found the front from barrier 8 to make the running while Red Lion (Hugh Bowman) and Chancheng Glory (Luke Ferraris) settled behind the leader.
Turning for home, Pray For Mir ($44) maintained his front spot as Chancheng Glory levelled up with him.
Chadwick called on his mount at the 250m mark and Pray For Mir extended to win by ½ length over Chancheng Glory. Group 1 winner Beauty Eternal (James Orman) finished third. The winning time was 1min 33.83sec for the 1,600m on the turf.
"He's (Pray For Mir) always been very honest, he just gets beat, unfortunately. The weight really helped today," said Chadwick.
"He was left alone and he relaxed really well and when the other one (Chancheng Glory) put it to him, he just kept fighting and his quality just shone through."
Consistent all season with one win and five placings, the son of Justify enhanced his earnings to HK$9.43 million from 15 starts in Hong Kong after arriving as a two-time winner from Sunshine Coast, Australia.
"Today, Chadwick controlled the pace very well and the horse carried a light weight. At the end of the season, all the horses were maybe a bit tired and I kept him a bit fresh," said Mo.
"He is a very honest horse. You can see he has so many seconds and only loses by a little bit.
"We (Mo and Chadwick) have very good communication. This season, I have really been supporting local jockeys and I'm happy that we could win a Group 3 together."
Mo and Chadwick have combined for 10 wins in 2024/25. The duo worked closely when Chadwick was apprenticed to Cruz, during which Mo worked as his work rider and assistant trainer.
"We go way back when we were both training in Tony's stable and we've come through the ranks together, and it's great to be part of this with him," said Mo.
Thriving in the absence of the world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising, Helios Express was rewarded for a season of remarkable consistency with deserved victory in the other feature race, the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1,200m).
After finishing second five times and third twice to Ka Ying Rising in seven starts this campaign, Helios Express ($10) - ridden by Bowman - scrambled to a short-head victory over Invincible Sage, with Patch Of Theta 1¾ lengths away in third.
Winning trainer John Size has also edged closer to a 13th Hong Kong trainers' championship at Sha Tin after wrapping up the day with a double.
The Australian handler took his 2024/25 tally to 60, with a seven-win buffer over compatriot David Hayes (53) with 12 meetings left in the season.
Besides Helios Express, Size also struck with Masterofmyuniverse ($7) as the talented gelding made it two successive wins with a slender victory in the HK$1.86 million Class 3 Tai Wai Handicap (1,200m).
Ridden by Zac Purton, Masterofmyuniverse speared through a narrow gap before denying Infinite Resolve by a nose to claim his fourth win in nine starts.
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